Up and Around
by Nadare
Summary: Arthur opened his eyes, internal systems recalibrating, his vision slow to focus. Lines of new codes downloaded and installed themselves within a few seconds. He was lying on his back, a smooth white ceiling above him. "Let's see if all of Jim's tinkering worked."
1. Chapter 1

_A/N: I just had one thought after watching the movie. "But what about Arthur?"_

[Written on and off between 1-29-19 to 5-11-19]

* * *

"_**Up and Around"**_

At the sound of nearby footsteps, Arthur slipped out of standby mode, fully alert and ready to serve the instant Aurora entered the bar lounge. On her heels was Jim, looking somewhat deflated. Upon glancing behind her, annoyance briefly crossed her features.

Warmth lit up her gaze as she saw Arthur, quickly taking a seat at the bar, smiling at him.

"What can I get for you?" he asked, his hands neatly folded before him.

"Screwdriver, please." While Arthur proceeded to gather the necessary components, Jim silently sat down beside Aurora, one finger tapping the bar top nervously.

A moment passed before Aurora lightly sighed, turning towards Jim. "Look, I'm not angry. I just wish you could see my point of view on the matter." She took the drink when Arthur set it in front of her, nodding in thanks. "Even before I decided to make this voyage, kids were never high on my list of priorities.

"I just…" Aurora struggled to find words. "I don't want to condemn anyone else to this, Jim. Much less our own child."

The impact of her statement broke over Jim, his mouth opening slightly before closing. Though Aurora had forgiven him for waking her up, it was still a sensitive topic the pair didn't often discuss.

"I never thought of it that way."

Silence fell between them, both looking tense and uncomfortable.

Arthur took it upon himself to break the loaded tension in the air, sliding a shot of whiskey down the bar. Jim caught it in the nick of time, grinning. "Reading my mind again?"

"Merely anticipating your needs," Arthur replied, falling into the usual habit of polishing glasses.

Aurora chuckled. "Isn't that the same thing?"

"Right?" Jim said, the couple smiling at each other.

Behind the bar, one corner of Arthur's mouth rose.

Another crisis averted.

* * *

_**Sometime later…**_

"I have a surprise for you, Arthur," Jim announced one day with a smile.

Arthur tilted his head with interest. They'd been a great many surprises already during the voyage. Hibernation pod failures, near catastrophic ship failure. What else could possibly go wrong?

"I'll be right back." Jim disappeared around the corner, shortly reappearing with Aurora, who was helping him push a metal cart covered in a white tarp.

"Hello, Aurora." As always, she held herself together with a grace not seen in many humans. Even in a situation that would have left many in pieces, Aurora had made the best of her circumstances. Wallowing in self-pity seemed beyond her.

She beamed at him, as pleased as always to see Arthur. "You're going to like this," she promised.

"Will I?"

Jim grabbed one side of the tarp while Aurora grabbed the other. In one smooth motion, they pulled it off, unveiling a pair of metal legs. "All these years stuck behind that bar. We thought it was time for a change."

For a long time, Arthur could do nothing but stare. The emotions he'd been programmed with were limited, his function simple, but something like warmth rose within his chest.

Arthur blinked, his voice low as he said, "For me?"

"That's right," Jim confirmed. "If you trust me enough to work on you, that is."

"Of course." Neither of them had ever given any indication of wanting to hurt him. Aurora had even kindly stitched up his head after he'd injured himself during the ship-wide glitches.

Jim lightly elbowed Aurora, the pair shared a knowing look. Moving behind the bar, Jim knelt down next to him. He reached into the delicate mechanisms below Arthur that allowed him to move. "Okay, buddy, this might take a while, but I promise to have you running around before you know it."

One sharp pull and everything went dark.

"Arthur, can you hear me?"

He opened his eyes, internal systems recalibrating, his vision slow to focus. Lines of new codes downloaded and installed themselves within a few seconds. Arthur was lying on his back, a smooth white ceiling above him.

"Here," Aurora said, holding out her hand above him. "Let's see if all of Jim's tinkering worked."

He gently took it, sitting up, the sight of what lay below his waist stopping him short. Though of a simple design, the metal constructs were thick and sturdy, ballpoint joints in the area of his knees.

Arthur bent them, slowly rising to his new feet. He stumbled at first, Aurora's other hand gripping his elbow, holding him up. "You okay?"

"I believe so." He was standing a few inches higher than her, trying to get used to the new vantage point. "Where's Jim?"

"He's getting a last-minute adjustment." Arthur took a careful step forward, managing to keep his equilibrium this time. He glanced behind him, realizing he was still in the lounge area, but finally free of the counter.

Arthur chuckled underneath his breath in disbelief.

"What?" Aurora inquired.

"They built me behind the bar. This is my first time seeing how the other half lives."

Aurora smiled, patting his shoulder. "I'm glad we could help. Oh, here he is." Over one of Jim's arms was a red pair of pants and a belt.

He handed them to Arthur, who took them curiously.

Jim cleared his throat. "I can't have you flashing my fiancée all the time, can I?" He winked, offering his help as Arthur struggled to put them on. Once the belt had been tightened, he stepped back, surveying Arthur's new look.

"There, now you're finally decent." Jim looked down at Arthur's rather large metal feet. "We'll tackle the issue of shoes later. How's the gait?"

Lightly smacking Jim's arm, Aurora laughed. "He's only just gotten onto his feet. Give him time, why don't you?"

"One of them is an inch higher than the other and the joints could use a bit more flexibility," Arthur reported. "However, for now, they will serve their purpose very well until modifications can be made."

Aurora and Jim shared a look. "See? I told you he could be a bit sassy."

"Well, don't be shy. I bet you're dying to see what lies beyond the bar."

The truth was Arthur already had the ship's layout in his databanks, mainly for the purpose of directing customers to other areas should they be in need of his guidance. He merely nodded and started forward, the concourse stretching for what seemed like miles once he left the lounge.

A new addition to the right had him curious. The tree was not something he expected to see in the modern setting.

"Your doing?" Arthur asked, glancing over his shoulder at Jim.

Jim shrugged, modest to a fault. "I thought it would brighten the place up."

"It does," Aurora said, pressing a kiss to Jim's cheek. "I never thanked you for it."

"You don't have to."

"But I do," Aurora persisted. "I know it was difficult constructing it. You worked for days."

Arthur left them to their discussion, taking a long lap around the entire ship.

When he came across the observatory lounge, he took a seat and remained there for hours, simply in taking everything. Inherently knowing one was traveling in space and actually seeing it in person was very different. His processors were nearly overwhelmed by the stark beauty of it.

He'd wondered before if Aurora and Jim could truly be happy living out their lives aboard the ship, but if anything, the outside scenery added to the charm of the experience. It was never the same view, always changing as the ship surged onward in its long voyage.

No, space wasn't the problem. It was the long stretch of time laid before them. Luckily, though they were without the company of their fellow passengers, the pair weren't completely alone.

He'd long suspected Jim would have cracked mentally had he been completely alone on the ship upon waking up. Even restricted as Arthur had been in the bar, Jim had visited him multiple times a day, confiding in the closest thing he had to companionship.

As an android, he lived to serve humanity. Arthur had been glad to have been of service but now found himself questioning his purpose. With autonomy inevitably came the option of free will, the concept utterly alien to him. For once in his life, Arthur didn't know how to proceed forward.

When a wave of heaviness overcame him, Arthur lost his train of thought. He struggled to process it, eventually recognizing the sensation as uncertainty, perhaps even fear. He'd only known patience, anticipation, and satisfaction before. New legs, new emotions…

Each came from one source: Jim.

* * *

The next morning, Arthur discovered Jim sitting alone in the cafeteria. He joined him at the table, Jim glancing up at him briefly before resuming eating his breakfast.

Arthur laced his hands together in front of him. "May I ask you a few questions?"

"Of course."

"You did more than simply grant me mobility. There are new subroutines in my programming that weren't there before." He'd seen them upon reactivation but hadn't known their function until later on.

Jim raised an eyebrow. "Are there?" he questioned, a playful tone in his voice.

"I am slowly becoming far more aware of my emotions." Arthur paused for a moment. "It's been an eye-opening experience."

For the first time, doubt entered Jim's gaze as he surveyed Arthur's tense body language. "Do you like it?"

"I don't hate it," Arthur replied calmly. "But I find myself wishing I'd had advance warning."

Jim scratched his neck, nodding. "Okay, fair point. If it gets too intense, let me know and I'll dial it back some."

"Very well."

Finishing his meal, Jim dropped his fork onto the empty tray. He studied Arthur curiously. "Have you ever dreamed, Arthur?"

"Androids aren't designed to dream, Jim. We merely exist to serve a function."

"You could say the same about humanity, but that doesn't stop us from reaching beyond our means." Jim took a sip of coffee, looking at Arthur doubtfully. "You're telling me you never thought beyond the next drink order? I know you watched us anytime we passed by the lounge."

"I usually ran scenarios to pass the time, calculating the probability of certain events. Aurora forgiving you was very low. You making me legs never entered the realm of possibilities availed to me."

He lightly brushed Jim's free hand with his own, which had been resting on the tabletop. "Thank you most sincerely for the gift. It's taken me time, but exploring the ship has made me realize how truly limited my role was. There are real problems that may arise in the future that I look forward to assisting you and Aurora with."

Jim let go of his coffee cup and patted the top of Arthur's hand. "You're welcome, Arthur." He grinned. "Just don't forget you can do anything you want now. Turn your back on the bar altogether, and never touch another glass or bottle. The ship's the limit."

"No," Arthur snapped, surprise briefly appearing on Jim's features. "I enjoy engaging you and Aurora in a proper social setting, and despite what you think, my job is not the tether it once was. It's rather comforting actually."

Jim shrugged. "Okay, have it your way. I just don't want you doing anything you feel obligated to. Aurora and I were perfectly capable of fetching our own drinks back on Earth."

"Yes, but I doubt the experience was as enjoyable as it is here."

"Touché," Jim admitted. "Having a good friend there makes all the difference."

The term echoed in Arthur's brain for a moment. He'd never thought of Aurora and Jim as friends, yet they fit the definition very well. Friends, yes. Dear friends.

The edges of Arthur's mouth rose in a gradual smile. "Yes, it does."

* * *

It was a few months later when Jim approached Arthur during the afternoon, a large piece of rolled parchment under one arm.

The android had been assisting Aurora in looking over what she had dubbed a problematic section of her writing. Arthur had been less than successful in pinpointing why the words didn't resonate well, but Aurora had appreciated his assistance anyway, insisting another pair of eyes was always helpful.

Jim slid an arm over Arthur's shoulders, smiling at Aurora apologetically. "I need to borrow him for a while. That okay?"

"I suppose so," she replied, seeming amused by Jim's clandestine matter. "I trust you boys will behave yourselves."

"Of course."

Ensconced in a lower section of the ship near the engine room, Jim and Arthur stood before a table, the surface of which was backlit by a lamp underneath it.

"If you really want to help me and Aurora, I have a project I'd like to start."

Jim was known to have unconventional ideas at the best of times, and Arthur wanted to make sure it wasn't anything that would cause a problem down the line. His eyes narrowed in suspicion. "What kind of project?"

"We live on the ship," Jim said. "But it's not what we're used to. It's too…" He paused, looking deep in thought as if seeking the right word.

After a process of elimination and presuming to know how Jim's mind worked, Arthur suggested, "Artificial?"

Jim's eyes lit up, his hands moving excitedly. "Exactly. If we do it in wood, it'll feel natural and homey."

He unfolded a large sheet of blueprint paper, then pinned it to the lit table. Arthur examined the details, the rounded corners of the old-fashioned structure, the tented roof of the cabin.

"You want to build a house," he stated flatly.

Jim shook his head. "No, Arthur. I want to build a _home_."

The distinction was difficult to discern, but Arthur made a valiant effort. While they had everything they desired at their fingertips, the desire for normalcy never seemed to wane. Humans could be extraordinarily stubborn when they put their minds to it.

"If we follow these plans, we'll need to plant a lot more trees." Fabricating the amount of wood alone would take years, but they had nothing but time.

"Yes, we will." Jim patted on the shoulder, grinning. "You up for it, friend?"

Arthur responded in kind. "I believe I can meet the challenge."

"Good, then let's get to work."


	2. Taking It in Stride

_A/N: Android antics and warm fuzzies ho! Also I swear I don't have anything against "Titanic." ^^;_

[Written on and off between 5-14-19 to 4-8-20]

* * *

"_**Up and Around"**_

_Chapter Two: Taking It in Stride_

"I don't understand," Arthur said, his eyes locked on the movie playing on the large screen before him.

Aurora leaned closer to him in the darkness, her chair squeaking a bit. "What?"

"Why does Rose not simply move over on the door to make way for Jack? Is she perhaps heavier than she looks?"

The woman sitting next to him snickered. "It's an old disaster movie, Arthur. If Jack survived, there wouldn't be nearly as much dramatic impact in the story."

"I see," he said, his tone implying that he still didn't quite grasp the concept. Arthur then hit upon the perfect improvement. "But in that case, wouldn't both of them dying further deepen the tragedy?"

The only other person in the room gasped quietly. "You take that back, you monster!"

Arthur turned to look at Jim, the light from the screen revealing he had tears streaming down his face. "How can you complain about this cinematic masterpiece?"

"Oh, come on," Aurora said. "It's trite and you know it."

Jim sniffled, wiping at his cheek with the back of his hand. "It's called a tearjerker and it does its job well."

"For you perhaps," she replied with a smirk before moving closer to Jim, leaving Arthur sitting in his own row. "You love the sappiest stuff, but I suppose it helps offset my horror obsession."

She glanced at Arthur over her shoulder. "What do you enjoy watching the most, Arthur?"

Since Arthur had joined them, they had watched a large number of films on evenings the couple had dubbed movie nights, touching upon every available genre from action to documentaries.

The ship's collection of films was vast. Even if they watched a dozen movies a day, Jim and Aurora would still have entertainment left unseen far after their lives had come to a natural end.

"Musicals," he said, only half paying attention to the film now, their melodrama proceedings quite lost on him. "I very much enjoy the visuals and sounds. It's all quite…animated."

While not true to real life, Arthur sometimes wished such things could be possible. Extended emotion was difficult for him, singing even less so. He simply wasn't designed for it.

"We'll have to watch one soon then."

Arthur was touched by Aurora's consideration, though it was unnecessary. "There's no need to cater to my whims when I am perfectly capable of viewing them on my own."

He had already gone through a substantial amount of educational films about every facet of the human condition in an effort to better understand the upgraded emotions Jim had tweaked within him.

She shook her head, reaching out for Jim's hand as Aurora surveyed Arthur. "No, musicals shouldn't be an individual experience. The music, the sets, the actors, you should share those things with other people."

"If it were a live stage production, perhaps," Arthur conceded with a small nod. "Films are inherently different. Amusing to watch but artificial in comparison."

The corners of her mouth downturned a little, Aurora seeming to silently chew the matter over. "Let's try it next time and see which is better, all right?" she suggested, looking mischievous.

"An experiment? I look forward to it."

She smiled, starting to turn back to the screen. "Good."

"Man, what a waste," Jim commented upon seeing the last few shots of the movie. "Her kids could have sold that necklace for a bundle."

"Are you admitting the movie has a flaw?" Aurora asked jokingly.

Jim sat up in his seat, quick to come to the film's defense. "No." He stopped, almost wilting underneath Aurora's piercing stare, finally letting out a sigh. "Okay, maybe."

"That's what I thought."

* * *

"Arthur!"

Said android was on his way back from the bridge, finding himself quickly drawn to Jim's exclamation. He rushed to the virtual entertainment center, the panoramic view of a faceless crowd from the game Dance Party encompassing the walls of the room.

"What is this?" Jim asked, motioning to the high score sheet floating on the wall to the right. Every single slot was taken up with the initials ART. "Is this you?"

Arthur nodded. "Dancing is very helpful physical therapy for my legs."

It'd been two years since he'd gotten them. Working together, he and Jim had actually improved on their design. Now a layer of synthetic skin covered them and his feet had been reworked to a smaller and more natural size.

If there had been other people awake and about the ship, they might not have even known what Arthur was upon first meeting him.

The exasperated expression of Jim's eased, Arthur slowly realizing that he might have been mad all his previous high scores had been wiped out of existence.

"I'm sorry if I overstepped my bounds," Arthur said, Jim quick to step up and touch his shoulder briefly.

"It's fine, I just didn't know this kind of thing would be something you'd be interested in," Jim explained. "I guess I'll have to watch my gaming back from now on, huh?"

Arthur tilted his head. "Must we compete?"

Jim smirked. "We're men, aren't we? That's half the fun." He elbowed Arthur in the side gently. "You want give it a go and see if I can't knock your name off the board?"

The fact Jim had included Arthur in the same category as himself was novel, though as he stretched and bounced in place Jim didn't seem to be aware of the compliment he'd unknowingly paid Arthur.

"Very well, Jim," Arthur replied, taking off his jacket and putting it against the far wall where it wouldn't get in the way. "I graciously accept your challenge."

**A half-hour later…**

"What's going on here?" Aurora asked, sticking her head into the room as techno music blared loudly. She quickly stepped inside, lingering near the wall as she surveyed the scene in front of her.

Noting her presence, Arthur slowed down his coordinated movements, the song he'd been dancing to coming to an end. "It was a competition."

"Really?"

Beside him stood Jim who had his hands resting on his knees, panting wildly with sweat on his brow. It took a minute before he could draw in a full breath, Jim pointed at Arthur.

"Do not challenge him no matter what. Guy's a freakin' animal!" Jim flopped down to the floor on his back. "I'm going to die."

Arthur knelt down beside him in alarm. "What hurts the most, Jim? You must tell me so I can administer the appropriate first-aid."

Trading a look with Aurora, Jim pressed a hand to his chest, saying dramatically, "Only my pride."

Arthur took in Jim's clear joking matter and the stifled laughter from Aurora behind him. Ah, sarcasm. Humor was something Arthur hadn't studied much, finding it a very complex subject which was highly subjective.

Standing up, relieved Jim was all right, Arthur headed to the far wall to retrieve his jacket. "I'm sure you will find a way to live until it replenishes itself."

As he put it back on, Jim sat up on the floor. "Seriously, Arthur, it was a lot of fun. You're a great dancer. I don't think I'll be able to beat your high scores on this game anytime soon."

Only one of his hairs was out of place from the spontaneous bout of exercise, Arthur quick to smooth it back where it belonged. "I too found it very enjoyable."

He smiled at Jim who responded in kind, Arthur glad he'd been able to have such a bonding experience with the man.

Aurora cleared her throat a few seconds later from her position leaning against the wall. "Well, now I feel left out. You boys are downright heartwarming."

"If you wish to disregard Jim's warnings, I am always up for another dance-off," Arthur offered generously, aware there was much of the game he had left unexplored.

She shook her head. "I'll pass for now, but I'll definitely take you up on it in the future."

Arthur inclined his head respectfully towards Aurora who walked past him to go help Jim up from the floor.

"Where does it hurt, you big baby?" she said playfully while Jim groaned under his breath as he got to his feet.

"Everywhere," he replied, pressing closer to Aurora. "Kiss it better?"

Bright airy laughter suffused the air, Aurora throwing back her head for a moment. "Don't push it, buster."

"Please, Aurora?"

For the first time as Arthur left the room, granting them their privacy, he felt the stirrings of something it took a while for him to identity. New emotions were hard.

Jealousy.

Loneliness.

Jim and Aurora were a matched pair. True, they had had their difficulties in reaching the current status of their relationship, but when one fell, the other would always be there to catch them, whether physically or emotionally.

Arthur had only had his mind for company. Any other androids on the ship were as limited in their function as he had been before. Even if he found another of his kind he wished to befriend, they would find the concept of forming a close bond utterly alien and understandably fall back on their core programming.

Unless…

The idea gestated inside Arthur's mind for a time before he put it on the back burner after running through each and every possible scenario.

No, it was best to ask Jim for a companion once Arthur fully understood what it was to be human.

As he was now, trying to explain such a thing to another android would be a daunting task Arthur would likely fail at, and that was simply not an option.

* * *

"Is it ready?" Jim asked him from the door of the kitchen, Arthur standing before a counter where a frosted cake rested with a few candles in the middle of it.

In short order, Arthur lit them and grabbed the edges of the serving platter. "Yes, now it is."

Jim took a place at Arthur's side with his small handful of plates and silverware. Together they walked out to the cafeteria where Aurora sat at one of the tables, her patient expression quickly giving way to sheer delight.

"Happy birthday, Aurora."

She eyed the cake as Jim placed it in front of her. It was a little lopsided on one side, some of the frosting overly thick in places. "You made it from scratch? How did you manage that?"

Jim motioned to Arthur with a grin. "He sweet-talked the service machine it to give him each individual ingredient and we went from there."

"Jim is a surprisingly competent baker."

"You're going to make me blush, Arthur," Jim said quietly, putting down the plates and silverware on the table.

Arthur motioned to the candles upon the cake. "Is it not customary to make a wish as you blow them out?"

Momentarily closing her eyes, Aurora blew a breath outward, snuffing the candles out in one go. "What flavor is it?"

Jim handed her the knife with a raised eyebrow. "Find out."

She sliced into its dark interior, smiling at the sight. "Chocolate," Aurora breathed. "My favorite." She looked to Jim for a moment. "You remembered."

"Of course."

Aurora dished out two servings, Arthur not able to partake of the dessert himself. One small advantage about his android status was that he was beyond bodily needs such as hunger and thirst. It was a matter he was at peace with since having another mouth to feed would have strained the ship's resources further.

"I wish you could try this, Arthur," Aurora said after placing a forkful into her mouth and eating it. "It's so rich and moist."

Sitting beside her Jim gave a thumbs up, already halfway through his own slice of cake. Clearly he had no complaints.

"I'm very glad you like it." He waited until they had finished and put aside their plates before Arthur returned to the kitchen and grabbed a long white cylinder from a countertop.

Jim's eyes lit up as Arthur came back with the item, taking it when he offered to Jim. "Aurora."

She glanced at him in expectation, Jim's hands slightly shaking as he popped up the top of the cylinder. "About a year and a half ago, Arthur and I started a project together."

Arthur helped Jim hold the blueprints down on the table, Aurora taking a moment to survey them, her eyes gradually widening in understanding.

"There's a rec room down in the bowels of the ship that's been turned into a virtual forest. We have enough wood to start building."

A tear suddenly dripped down Aurora's cheek. "W-Where?"

"I was thinking on the concourse," Jim replied smoothly. "It being a central location and all."

"This is amazing," she gushed, throwing her arms around Jim and squeezing tightly. "I don't know how you two have managed to keep it a secret."

Aurora let Jim go just as fast and about threw herself over the table to embrace Arthur as well. "You're amazing," Aurora whispered against his ear. "I couldn't ask for a better gift."

"Well, Jim helped," Arthur responded, pulling away from Aurora as she returned to her seat. "I merely assisted him in engineering a further supply of trees."

"You did more than that," Jim said. "This guy made sure they were in prime health the whole time. I found out I have no green thumb whatsoever."

Aurora looked back down at the blueprints, fingering the structure outlined in the center of them with a pleased smile. "Can we start tomorrow?"

"Of course."

* * *

In a matter of months, the basic framework of the cabin was completed. Perhaps it was just Arthur's pride talking, but he thought they'd done a marvelous job with the project thus far.

It was no easy feat cutting down and carving trees into their desired shapes. The early humans on Earth must have been extraordinarily driven in their bid to provide shelter for themselves, their mate, and any progeny.

As the building progressed, Arthur took it upon him to survey each new addition as it was put into place. A sort of self-appointed safety inspector.

One afternoon, Arthur approached a dark curtain blocking off the start of a newly constructed room. Abruptly, Jim stepped in front of him, blocking his path.

"I need your help outside," Jim said hurriedly, trying to tug Arthur away from the area rather unsuccessfully.

Narrowing his brow, Arthur frowned, his curiosity well piqued. "But this room isn't in the blueprints."

Jim leaned towards him, placing an arm over his shoulder and tugging Arthur close. "It's called a surprise and I don't want Aurora to know about it. I don't need you accidentally blabbing like last time."

Instantly contrite, Arthur straightened, stepping away from Jim. "I have apologized for that oversight. At the time, I sincerely thought that revealing how you agonized over waking her up would be seen as a romantic gesture."

"It's fine," Jim reassured him. "In a way, your slip-up worked out well for everyone. Anyway, I need you to promise me something."

Arthur nodded, resolving to do his best to keep Jim's secret this time. "Keep away from here and anytime you see Aurora close by, find an excuse to take her to another part of the ship. Can you do that for me?"

"Yes, Jim." It would be a pleasant task, Arthur finding Aurora a great conversationalist and someone he enjoyed spending time with anyway.

"Thanks, buddy."

**A few months later…**

"Arthur, close your eyes."

"Why?" he asked, putting his head to the side in interest. They were standing in the concourse, Aurora and Jim having requested he accompany them elsewhere.

Aurora approached Arthur from behind, putting her hands over his eyes. Her voice sounded against the back of his right ear. "Arthur, do you still trust us?"

There was no thought involved. "Of course."

"Then please close your eyes."

He did as they asked of him and Aurora removed her hands. Someone grabbed his arm and Arthur slowly walked in the direction he was guided. He could hear a door open and the creak of wooden floorboards underneath his feet.

They had clearly entered the cabin.

"Here good?" Aurora asked, clearly addressing Jim.

"Perfect," he replied warmly. "Okay, Arthur, you can look now."

Arthur opened his eyes, glancing around his surroundings. As far as he could discern, it was another bedroom, only just finished.

Scratching at his head, Jim bit off a chuckle. "Aurora and I have been working on this by ourselves while you were otherwise occupied."

"I don't understand," Arthur said, trying to understand why they had wanted him here. "Wasn't this for Aurora?" An idea sparked in his mind and he quickly turned to face Aurora. "Unless you two have changed your mind about children?"

Aurora firmly shook her head. "No, Arthur." She walked forward and took one of his hands in her own, looking up at him. "It's for you."

"I mean, we know you don't sleep, but our home wouldn't be complete without a place for you," Jim added.

Aurora smiled at Arthur. "You're family after all."

For the longest time, Arthur could only stand there, trying to process a near-violent reaction inside him. His eyes hurt and he blinked fiercely, thinking some dust had gotten into them somehow.

Then Arthur realized that the warmth growing in his chest was familiar, flashing back to when he had been granted him the gift of mobility. It was a stronger feeling this time, more than mere appreciation. Arthur struggled to find a name for it but had it in a few seconds.

Happiness.

Arthur was happy.

It also marked the first occasion he had ever been rendered speechless.

Her fingers tightening around Arthur's hand, Aurora inched closer to him. "Arthur, are you okay?"

He smiled as he tugged Aurora nearer, then shifted towards Jim, motioning for his hand. Raising a brow, Jim came forward, starting in surprise when he was pulled up against Arthur's chest. He did the same with Aurora, being careful to not squeeze her too tightly.

"I'm absolutely fine."

Arthur wished he could properly convey how much the pair's kindness meant to him. "If my designers had had more foresight, there would be tears on my cheeks right now."

Aurora made a soft sound, her voice cracking slightly. "Oh, Arthur."

"Maybe with the next upgrade," Jim said with a laugh, laying a hand on his back.

Arthur could only hope.


End file.
